Archived Fishing Report

Dave Stewart's Fishing Report

Written by Dave Stewart |
Originally published 11/25/2015

Kentucky Lake: Water Level at Kentucky Dam - 355.79 Surface Temperature – 55
Lake Barkley: Water Level at Barkley Dam – 355.50 Surface Temperature – 55
Both lakes are about one and one half feet over winter pool. Kentucky Dam has been generating an average of 59,700 cfs today. Barkley Dam has been generating an average of 44,400 cfs today.
This will be my last weekly fishing report for the season with all the nasty weather coming in. I will however periodically publish a report this winter when I have enough verified information to write an accurate report. Now is the time to make reservations to come take my Eliminating Water Class this winter to improve your fishing next season as well as make reservations for guided trips next year!
General Conditions: Lake levels have risen about a foot over the past few days due to runoff from rains here and up the rivers last week. Water temperatures finally dropped with the colder weather we had over the weekend and this has gotten the bass more active.
Although the shallow water bite seems to still be somewhat scattered, there has been a marked improvement in the bite on the main lake primary points and the first points inside the bays. The better bite has been on suspending jerk baits and Alabama rigs and jigs. There is some fish being taken shallow on top water lures, lipless crank baits and spinner baits but as I mentioned this bite still seems to be somewhat scattered.
The bite on the Smallmouth has especially picked up on the afore mentioned points with some nice fish being taken. Although we are still not seeing much in the way of schooling bass this fall, the bite is better now than it has been over the past few weeks. The down side is the weather is going to take a turn for the worse with heavy rains forecasted over the weekend as another nasty cold front comes through the lakes area.
The best day in the forecast is tomorrow on Thanksgiving Day with a high of 66/ low of 55 with wind SSE at 10. A 90% chance of rain is forecasted for Friday with a high of 61/low of 51 with wind S at 10. The forecast is showing post frontal conditions on Saturday and Sunday with highs in the mid 50’s /low’s in the 40’s with a 100% chance of rain on Saturday and 80% on Sunday. Wind on Saturday is forecasted to be from the NE at 7 and on Sunday from the NNW at 9.
It does not get much better next week with day time high’s forecasted to be in the mid 40’s and night time low’s in the low 30’s with a chance of rain each day through mid week with north quadrant winds.
Largemouth Bass: Largemouth are being taken on main lake primary points and the first secondary points in the creeks and bays. These fish are being taken on suspending jerk baits, Alabama rigs and jigs. Look for current breaks on the main lake banks also for this bite. Largemouth are also being taken on the shallow flats in coves and in the backs of the creeks and bays on top water lures, lipless crank baits and spinner baits.
Smallmouth Bass: Smallmouth are being taken in current breaks and primary points on the main lake as well as on the secondary points inside the mouths of the creeks and bays. These fish are being taken on suspending jerk baits, Alabama rigs and tube jigs.
Productive Lures: Some of the more productive lures reported this week are: Lucky Craft and custom painted Bag 5 Mega Bass suspending jerk baits in clown, table rock shad and aurora black. Lucky Craft Sammy in ghost pearl lemon, Slong’s spinner baits in blue glimmer, Strike King Red Eye Shad in chrome sexy shad and sexy shad, Bag 5 custom painted Red Eye Shad lipless crank baits in blue glimmer, D&L baby advantage jigs in “oops” pattern and Cumberland Craw, Slong’s football head jigs in Cumberland Craw, Charmer tubes green pumpkin/orange and their newest color – Big Easy- on tube jigs.
Crappie: Crappie are being taken over brush piles and sunken stake beds on the main lake flats in 8-12 feet of water as well as over brush piles and sunken stake beds in the creeks and bays in 4-6 ft of water by spider rigging with minnows and small jigs tipped with minnows in the deeper water and casting curly tail jigs and fishing minnows under bobbers in the shallower water.

More Kentucky Lake Fishing Reports

Now That You're 'Hooked' on Fishing... Come See Us!

If you've dug this deep in our Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley
fishing reports, you are probably just itching to come down and
visit the South's biggest lakes. Get started by finding
that perfect place to stay! Find a
Kentucky Lake cabin
or a Lake Barkley
campground, a full-service
resort or a
marina. Heck,
there are even dozens of
hotels off
the water to choose from!

Don't have a boat? No worries! Bank fishing is
always an option for panfish. But if you're heart is set on
largemouth or smallmouth, you can
rent a
fishing boat at many of our local
resorts!

Kentucky Lake, Lake Barkley, and Land Between The Lakes offer a unique vacation experience for everyone! Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley collectively is the largest body of water between the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico. Here you can enjoy fishing, boating, hunting, eating at great restaurants, and experiencing the numerous attractions of the Land Between The Lakes. The region is located just eight hours from Chicago, three hours from St. Louis and six hours west of the
Smoky Mountains.

Spring

Photo by Melodie Cunningham

Springtime is the perfect time to explore the wide variety of native plants growing in the lakes region! Over 1,130 native flora species live in LBL.